As a follow-up to my homily – Looking up to God by reaching down, I wanted to post some more information about Fr. Greg and his book Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.

Here is a summary of the book:

As a pastor working in a neighborhood with the highest concentration of murderous gang activity in Los Angeles, Gregory Boyle created an organization to provide jobs, job training, and encouragement so that young people could work together and learn the mutual respect that comes from collaboration. Tattoos on the Heart is a breathtaking series of parables distilled from his twenty years in the barrio. Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally.

It just seems to me that Fr. Greg has found a way to get serious about crime as opposed to the easier path of simply getting tough.

Below is a short video. Take a few minutes to meet Fr. Greg as he talks about Homeboy Industries.